Kosovo organ trafficking case "gains new dimension"

Deputy War Crimes Prosecutor Bruno Vekaric said Monday that the investigation into human organ trafficking in Kosovo was "gaining a new dimension". A resolution is in sight, he told state broadcaster RTS in Belgrade on Sunday, and commended Russia's reported involvement in the probe. Kosovo organ trafficking case "gains new dimension" He further noted that a cooperation agreement has been signed with Russia which involves exchange of information, and pointed out that the most important thing for the victims and their families was for the investigation, conducted in four countries, "to reveal the truth". The war crimes case investigated by the Serbian Prosecution concerns kidnappings, illegal imprisonment and removal of vital organs from Serb and other civilians in Kosovo and northern Albania in 1999 and 2000. The case was also investigated by Council of Europe Rapporteur Dick Marty, who in late 2010 submitted his report, naming ethnic Albanian KLA as perpetrators. Serbia is demanding an investigation to be conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. But allegations of illegal trafficking in human organs in Kosovo surfaced once again, this time related to the case dubbed "Medicus", after a clinic in Pristina. This time, donors consented to operations after they were offered to illegally sell their organs. The suspects in the case are currently on trial in Pristina. Media reports on Monday said that Canadian citizen Raul Fain, who claims that in 2008 in Pristina he received a kidney extracted from a Russian woman at the price of EUR 87,000, would appear as a witness via video link in the trial in the case of illegal organ trafficking and transplants. Canadian daily Toronto Star says that Fain would issue his testimony under oath before the Ontario Supreme Court in the trial that started on October 4, and quoted EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX Special Prosecutor for Organized Crime Jonathan Ratel who said that Fain is in no way a suspect, but a key witness in the process. In an interview for Toronto Star, former Canadian prosecutor Ratel recalled that the 46-page long indictment charges seven individuals with one or more criminal acts of human trafficking and organized crime, as well as illegal performance of surgeries or abuse of office. According to the daily, in his statement before the Canadian authorities, Ratel, who works as an investment consultant in Toronto, gave a detailed account of the kidney transplant he underwent at the Pristina clinic. Fain, who suffered from grave kidney problems, was notified in 2008 by his cousins from Israel that "a certain agreement can be reached as regards kidney transplants in Kosovo". He was introduced to Moshe Harel whom the authorities described in the indictment as the mediator of Turkish doctor Yusuf Sonmez. Harel is also said to be one of the major financiers of the surgery and Interpol has issued a warrant for his arrest due to human trafficking in Kosovo. Bruno Vekaric (Tanjug, file) RTS Tanjug

Kosovo organ trafficking case "gains new dimension"

He further noted that a cooperation agreement has been signed with Russia which involves exchange of information, and pointed out that the most important thing for the victims and their families was for the investigation, conducted in four countries, "to reveal the truth".

The war crimes case investigated by the Serbian Prosecution concerns kidnappings, illegal imprisonment and removal of vital organs from Serb and other civilians in Kosovo and northern Albania in 1999 and 2000. The case was also investigated by Council of Europe Rapporteur Dick Marty, who in late 2010 submitted his report, naming ethnic Albanian KLA as perpetrators.

Serbia is demanding an investigation to be conducted under the auspices of the United Nations.

But allegations of illegal trafficking in human organs in Kosovo surfaced once again, this time related to the case dubbed "Medicus", after a clinic in Priština. This time, donors consented to operations after they were offered to illegally sell their organs.

The suspects in the case are currently on trial in Priština. Media reports on Monday said that Canadian citizen Raul Fain, who claims that in 2008 in Priština he received a kidney extracted from a Russian woman at the price of EUR 87,000, would appear as a witness via video link in the trial in the case of illegal organ trafficking and transplants.

Canadian daily Toronto Star says that Fain would issue his testimony under oath before the Ontario Supreme Court in the trial that started on October 4, and quoted EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX Special Prosecutor for Organized Crime Jonathan Ratel who said that Fain is in no way a suspect, but a key witness in the process.

In an interview for Toronto Star, former Canadian prosecutor Ratel recalled that the 46-page long indictment charges seven individuals with one or more criminal acts of human trafficking and organized crime, as well as illegal performance of surgeries or abuse of office.

According to the daily, in his statement before the Canadian authorities, Ratel, who works as an investment consultant in Toronto, gave a detailed account of the kidney transplant he underwent at the Priština clinic.

Fain, who suffered from grave kidney problems, was notified in 2008 by his cousins from Israel that "a certain agreement can be reached as regards kidney transplants in Kosovo".

He was introduced to Moshe Harel whom the authorities described in the indictment as the mediator of Turkish doctor Yusuf Sonmez.

Harel is also said to be one of the major financiers of the surgery and Interpol has issued a warrant for his arrest due to human trafficking in Kosovo.